National Oilwell Varco was a winner within the basic materials sector, rising $1.74 (2.5%) to $70.53 on heavy volume.

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

National Oilwell Varco ( NOV) pushed the Basic Materials sector higher today making it today's featured basic materials winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.3%. By the end of trading, National Oilwell Varco rose $1.74 (2.5%) to $70.53 on heavy volume. Throughout the day, 6.8 million shares of National Oilwell Varco exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of four million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $68.74-$71.09 after having opened the day at $68.92 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $68.79. Other companies within the Basic Materials sector that increased today were: Alderon Iron Ore ( AXX), up 18.7%, Comstock Resources ( CRK), up 12.8%, Cal Dive International ( DVR), up 10.7%, and Adams Resources & Energy ( AE), up 10.5%.

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National Oilwell Varco, Inc. provides equipment and components for oil and gas drilling and production; oilfield services; and supply chain integration services to the upstream oil and gas industry worldwide. National Oilwell Varco has a market cap of $28.81 billion and is part of the energy industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 11.6, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 0.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 18 analysts that rate National Oilwell Varco a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and four rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates National Oilwell Varco as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, impressive record of earnings per share growth, attractive valuation levels and good cash flow from operations. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.